Reluctant Mate

by Diana Persaud

  “I only threatened to kill the bastards because they were going to rape her. She’s not my mate,” he denied.

  Robert was so focused on Lucien, he missed the hurt look on Serena’s face.

  “Good. Then you don’t object to Harley taking her as his mate?” Lucien asked.

  ***

  Something growled, a low warning sound.

  Lucien lurched to his feet, pushing his mate behind him. He was taller, his large frame dominating the room.

  He blinked.

  Had someone turned on another light? Everything seemed brighter. Too bright.

  Too many scents.

  Stinky.

  Sweet.

  Delicious.

  Tantalizing.

  Serena stared at him, her mouth hanging open. Her tantalizing scent enveloped him and he wanted nothing more than to bury his snout against her body and—

  Snout? What snout?

  Serena’s shocked face.

  Lucien’s guarded stance.

  Paws where his hands should be.

  Paws.

  Wolf paws.

  A pathetic whine.

  He struggled to breathe.

  The whining grew louder.

  “Ro-bert?”

  He recognized her voice but she sounded distorted, as if he were under water.

  “Ro-bert. It’s o-kay,” Serena promised.

  A soft hand patted his head. Her touch was soothing, calming.

  At last he could breathe.

  Cool air flooded his lungs, full of her scent.

  “Shift back, Ro-bert,” she encouraged him. “Con-cen-trate.”

  Concentrate? On what? How do I shift back?

  He barked. Louder and louder, laced with panic.

  Can they understand me?

  “Think about your hu-man form,” she said calmly.

  Something within him growled.

  “Don’t growl at me,” she snapped.

  He whined.

  A powerful need to be near her filled his body. He needed to rub her scent all over him and rub his scent on her.

  Though his clothes hung loosely on his body, he felt trapped, constricted. He placed one paw on the cushion. It dipped as he shifted his weight. He snarled. When the cushion held, he moved his other paw, moving close enough to touch her. Allowing instinct to take over, he plopped down next to her, placing his head on her lap.

  She stroked his head.

  “You look ri-di-cu-lous in those clothes,” she said.

  He stood on his paws and she undressed him. She folded his clothes neatly and placed them on the cushion beside her.

  “It appears Genesis 23 knows more about us than we realize,” Lucien said.

  Lucien approached him. He growled a low warning.

  Lucien growled back.

  He whined, instinctively lowering his head. He felt something move between his legs, tickling him.

  Is that my tail?

  Tucked between my legs?

  Lucien grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

  “I am Alpha here,” he snarled.

  Lucien exuded power and something else. His wolf responded more to Lucien’s scent than his words.

  “You are a guest in my home. If you can-not con-trol your-self, I will kill you,” Lucien growled.

  He barked softly and Lucien released him.

  “Serena, take your mate to bed. Down the hall-way. Pick any bed-room you wish.”

  Serena nodded.

  “Help him figure out how to shift back. I’ll con-sult with Doc-tor Mall-o-ry.”

  Free of his clothes and on solid floor, he followed Serena down the hallway to a vacant bedroom. The clacking of his claws on the wood floor echoed in the short hallway.

  ***

  Holding Steven’s arm securely, Harley guided him into the Alpha House, through the kitchen. He opened the door next to the pantry, reached in and flipped the light switch.

  Bright lights illuminated wooden stairs.

  With a little push, Harley forced Steven down the stairs.

  The basement was divided into four distinct areas. Half of the basement contained two rooms with a large steel cell between them. The steel cell contained a small cot bolted to the floor.

  The other half of the basement was an open area with a couple of comfortable couches, a mini fridge and a flat screen TV.

  This was Lucien’s man cave.

  Harley guided Steven across the room and placed him inside the cell. Steven stared at the hole in the center of the room. It was a drain of some kind.

  “That’s for the blood to drain,” Harley informed him.

  Steven gulped.

  “When Lucien is down here with his ‘guests’, it can get very messy. We just hose down the tile walls and everything goes down the drain.”

  Steven paled.

  “I don’t think he’s eaten yet,” Harley said, as though thinking out loud. “Gonna be a messy night.”

  “E-e-eaten?” Steven stammered.

  Harley turned away so Steven couldn’t see his wicked smile.

  This is going to be too easy.

  He left the basement, shutting off the lights when he reached the top of the stairs.

  Chapter Six

  Serena watched her mate investigate their bedroom. After sniffing every piece of furniture, he went to the window and whined. She pulled back the curtains. After several tries, he managed to place his front paws on the window sill and press his snout against the window pane. His hot breaths made frost on the window. He tapped his snout against the window then glanced at her.

  She frowned.

  He pawed the window.

  “You want me to open the window?”

  He barked softly.

  She dropped the curtain and sat on the bed.

  He barked again. A little louder this time.

  “We aren’t prisoners here, Robert.”

  He trotted to the bedroom door and barked.

  “I don’t have anywhere to go. Do you?”

  He turned around and padded over to her. He shoved her leg with his snout.

  “I’m tired of running. I miss being part of a pack. I’m tired of being alone.” She ran her fingers through his fur. “Until you can figure out how to shift back, you can’t leave here, either.”

  He rested his head on her lap.

  She laughed.

  “I can just imagine you trotting down Main Street like this.” She rubbed his fur vigorously. “I suppose I could take you on a leash.”

  He growled.

  “No? Won’t be my pet?”

  His eyes changed, from golden yellow to dark blue. Soft fur receded and her fingers slid along smooth, taut skin. Her fingers trailed down his chest. His cock twitched as it began to fill. He gripped her wrists, stopping her from exploring his body.

  He pushed her hands away and stood, walking briskly to the window. Peering out he asked, “Where are my clothes?”

  “I left them on the couch.”

  He returned to the bedroom door and eased it open.

  “What are you going to do?” she whispered.

  “Get my clothes. Then we’re leaving.”

  “I told you, I don’t have any where to go.”

  He shut the door.

  “I killed a man, Serena. The police will be looking for me.”

  “They won’t find you here.” She got up and stood in front of him. “You don’t know what it’s like to be on the run, always looking over your shoulder. It’s no way to live, Robert.”

  She hugged herself.

  “I don’t have much choice, Serena. If I stay, Lucien or another wolf will kill me.”

  “Not if you’re my mate.”

  “I don’t need your protection,” Robert replied tersely.

  “I didn’t mean—”

  “Tell me about your Alpha mate. Is he abusive?”

  “Remington? No. He’s like any alpha. Tough. Aggressive. Protective of the pack. He’s not a bad person.”

  �
��Then why did you run from him?”

  “Because I don’t love him, Robert.”

  “Then how can you accept me as your mate?”

  “I don’t exactly have a choice, do I? It’s either you or…Remington.”

  Her voice quivered with fear when she said his name.

  His eyes narrowed.

  “You are afraid of him. Why?”

  “According to Tarchannen Pack Law, running away from him has…specific punishments.”

  Her stomach tightened in knots and she felt bile rising to the back of her throat.

  “What will he do, Serena?”

  “He can sell me to another pack.”

  “Sell?”

  “Or he could kill me.”

  “Kill you?”

  “The worst thing he could do is beat me and rape me in front of the pack to reestablish his dominance. Then he could keep me as his mate,” she whispered. She closed her eyes, trying to keep the tears from falling. “Death is my preference,” she confessed.

  His fingers brushed away her tears.

  “I won’t let that happen, Serena. I’ll take you far away from here. He won’t find you—”

  She pulled away from him, her laughter as bitter as the bile she tasted.

  “Remington will find me no matter where I go.”

  She went to the dresser and opened each drawer.

  “The only reason he didn’t find me yet was because he was busy with his duties as Alpha.”

  She pulled out a pair of jeans and tossed it at him. She walked to the window, pulled back the curtain and pushed up the window.

  “Go. You are not responsible for me anymore.”

  ***

  Lucien flipped on the light switch.

  His captive yelped.

  The potent stench of urine assaulted his nose as he descended the steps.

  He growled aggressively as he stomped over to the cell. Steven Ellis pressed against the back wall, trying to get as far away from him as possible.

  “I’m rich. I—I have money. I can get you as many steaks as you want. Top of the line. Just, please, don’t eat me!” Ellis squealed.

  His voice cracked as he pleaded for his life.

  Lucien paused, as if he was considering Ellis’ offer.

  “Why should I believe you? How do I know you have money?”

  “My name is Steven Ellis. Ch—check my wallet.” Ellis withdrew his wallet and tossed it out of the cell.

  The wallet hit him in his chest and dropped to the floor.

  “I own several companies. I’’m rich. People will look for me if I go missing.”

  “Prove that you are Steven Ellis. Tell me about Genesis 23, a company you own,” Lucien demanded.

  Steven gave him a blank stare.

  “It’s a lab. I—I don’t know what they do there.”

  “Two of my wolves were found there earlier tonight, in a cell much like yours.”

  Steven glanced around. He ran his fingers through his hair.

  “Dr. Jessup keeps wolves down there. He—he studies them.” A bead of sweat formed on his upper lip. “Sometimes he implants this little device in them to—to make them…compliant.”

  “What does he do with the wolves afterward?” Lucien growled.

  Steven drummed his fingers against his thigh.

  “He…sells them.”

  “How many wolves did he sell?”

  “Three.”

  “You’re sure about that?”

  Steven nodded.

  “I can give you the money we were paid for the wolves,” Steven offered. “Let me out of here and I’ll get it for you. Cash if you’d like. It will take a few days for the banks to get that much cash together.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest, then asked, “How much cash?”

  “Three hundred and fifty grand,” Steven replied.

  He considered his options. Bankrupting Genesis 23 is one way to put them out of business. But not nearly as satisfying as ripping their heads off.

  Harley went into one of the rooms and returned a minute later carrying a manila folder.

  “How did you find out about us? About Werewolves?” Lucien asked Steven.

  “Dr. Jessup approached me one day. He showed me a grainy video of a man who transformed into a wolf. Then he showed me a photograph of a man that was heavily sedated and told me—he told me—” Steven laughed nervously. “—the man was a Werewolf.”

  Several beads of sweat appeared on Steven’s forehead.

  “I didn’t believe him of course. After all, the video was so…it could have been faked. But Jessup insisted it was real. He told me that we needed a secure place to hold……it. Once the Werewolf was secure, he would wake him up and we would see him transform. I had a large cage in my Genesis 23 lab, so….”

  “What was the name of the wolf?”

  “Name? Wolves have names?”

  Gritting his teeth, Lucien reached for a piece of paper that Harley removed from the manila folder. He held up a photo of Lucas Tarchannen.

  “Is this the wolf?”

  Steven studied the photo for a minute then nodded.

  “Yes. He’s the one.”

  “What did you do with him?”

  “He changed once, after we told him we knew what he was. I think he was hoping to get out. He rammed against the cage bars. There was blood everywhere. So much blood.” Steven shook his head before continuing, “He knocked himself out. Jessup decided he was too dangerous to keep. And we didn’t have an appropriate holding area.”

  “What did Dr. Jessup do?”

  “He—he wanted to see—to understand—how it was possible for a human to change into a wolf. He had to see…the inside….”

  “The inside? What the fuck are you saying?” he growled.

  “Dr. Jessup sedated him. Then…he…p-p-performed s-s-surgery on him.”

  “You dissected a wolf?” Lucien roared.

  “I didn’t do anything,” Steven denied in a high, shrill voice. “It was all Dr. Jessup. He did everything. He organized the group and made deals with the Trapper. I just let him use my lab. That’s all I did. I swear!”

  A fresh stream of urine ran down the front of Steven’s pants.

  “Bring me Dr. Jessup,” Lucien snarled.

  Chapter Seven

  Hours later, Dr. Jessup sighed with relief as the last paper disappeared into the shredder. He stood and stretched, massaging the pain out of his aching neck.

  He glanced outside.

  Everything still seemed normal.

  He listened carefully.

  No sirens wailed, disturbing the peaceful morning.

  Feeling silly, he chuckled.

  Did I really think those animals could be intelligent enough to find me? I gave them far too much credit. Still, they deserved some credit. After all, they had found Genesis 23.

  His belly grumbled.

  Maybe my cleanup efforts were warranted, maybe not. Either way, when someone finds Evans’ dead body, the police will be notified and they will want to investigate. Having purged the evidence, they would be unable to accuse me of anything untoward.

  He picked up his gun and headed to the kitchen for a quick meal.

  After a quick shower, I will take a plane to the facility to see how things are going there. Maybe we don’t need to destroy that facility at all. After all, no one knows it exists. There is no reason for anyone to suspect what I have been doing out there. Perhaps my work can continue there….

  He showered and dressed, his mind preoccupied with tasks he needed to complete at his research facility. Intending to pick up his rolling suitcase, he returned to his office. As he reached down to grasp the handle, his office door closed with a soft click.

  The hair on the back of his neck stood up.

  He withdrew his gun as he spun around.

  A stranger in a black leather jacket stood behind the closed door.

  Leather Jacket moved closer and he pulled the trigger. Leather Jacket stumb
led back, roaring in pain.

  His gun recoiled and he lost precious seconds. He held the gun correctly this time, his left hand steadying his right as he aimed.

  His pulse raced as adrenaline coursed through his body. Leather Jacket snarled as he advanced.

  He fired again.

  Did I get him?

  Leather Jacket kept coming, his claws extended.

  He fired a third time as Leather Jacket pounced.

  This time, the bullet went into the ceiling.

  His body landed on the carpet with a ‘thud’. Leather Jacket lifted his upper body with his left arm and head butted him.

  Blinded by starburst and yelping at the pain in his forehead, he released the grip on his gun.

  Another wolf appeared.

  Leather Jacket rolled off him with a grunt then the other wolf removed a zip tie and secured his hands in front of him.

  “Fuck,” Leather Jacket swore as he examined the hole in his black leather jacket. “That asshole ruined my jacket!”

  “Harley?”

  “This is handcrafted from the finest Italian leather,” he continued.

  “Harley.”

  “They don’t even make this style anymore. I’ve had this jacket for nine years. Nine fucking years!”

  “Harley!”

  Harley grunted in frustration before replying, “I’m fine, Zane. Let’s get out of here before the police show up.”

  Nodding in agreement, Zane pulled him to his feet.

  “If you scream, we will wait until the police arrive and tell them about your illegal research on helpless humans. I don’t think anyone will sympathize with you when we tell them what you planned on doing with the woman.”

  He paled.

  I don’t stand a chance with the law or the public if the woman testifies. She is fragile and petite.

  She will ruin me.

  On the other hand, if I go with them, I might learn more about their kind. I’m sure I can outsmart them and escape when the time comes.

  Mind made up, he nodded to Zane.

  Harley pulled the rolling suitcase behind him as they left the house.

  ***

  Officer Jansen passed through the doors, gun drawn. He swung his arms to the left then to the right.

  “Put that thing away before you hurt yourself, Jansen,” Officer Tyson ordered.